


Zootopia That Was

by niraD



Category: Firefly, Zootopia
Genre: Anthropomorphic, Crossover, Gen, Science Fiction, Western
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-08-31 14:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8582347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niraD/pseuds/niraD
Summary: Zootopia That Was had been used up, so we found a new system: dozens of planets and hundreds of moons, each terraformed to become a new Zootopia. The central planets formed the Alliance, and forced the outer planets to submit to their rule. Out here on the edges of the system, mammals struggle to get by. (Crossover: Zootopia characters in a Firefly setting.)





	1. Fear! Treachery! Bloodlust!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER ALERTS: This Zootopia-Firefly crossover is essentially an adaptation of the Firefly episode "Serenity" (the original two-hour pilot episode) with Zootopia characters. It follows the plot of the original episode more closely in some places than in others, but it will contain plenty of spoilers. (I recommend that you avoid the spoilers by watching Firefly. There are only 14 episodes, roughly 10 hours total viewing time. But I am admittedly biased.)
> 
> Also, my choices of Zootopia characters may be spoilers for that movie. And my author notes might include spoilers for "A Solid Plan" (my first Zootopia fanfic), for other episodes of Firefly, and for the Big Damn Movie itself (Serenity).

 

"Fear! Treachery! Bloodlust!"

A pudgy, spotted paw nudged a small plastic bunny across the console. "Thousands of years ago, these were the forces that ruled our world."

The cheetah's other paw nudged a small plastic tiger across the console, moving it towards the bunny. "A world where prey feared predators. And predators had an uncontrollable, biological urge to maim and maul!"

He growled softly, grabbed the toy tiger, and struck the bunny with it. He struck the toy bunny again, and again. With a shrill melodramatic scream, he shook the small plastic bunny with his other paw. "Blood! Blood! Blood! And death!"

The pudgy cheetah waved the plastic tiger in the air and continued, "We will rule this land, and we will call it... Pred-topia!"

He started to growl again, but was interrupted by sudden alarms and flashing lights. He brushed his plastic toys off the bridge console and stared intently at its display. "Oh... Em... Goodness..."

* * *

In a remote part of the system, surrounded by the blackness of space, an abandoned cargo vessel drifted. Its large, boxy hull showed no obvious signs of damage, but its lights were dark, and none of its other systems offered any indication of life aboard. But in its shadow, a small Firefly-class transport ship waited. An overweight cheetah wearing a tropical shirt sat at its bridge console, playing with plastic toy animals. The smaller ship faced one of the larger vessel's many airlocks. Around that airlock, three mammals in space suits worked quickly. The largest, a cape buffalo, who was far more massive than the other two combined, handed tools to the smallest, a red fox. The fox nodded, and then all three looked away simultaneously. A blinding flash of light illuminated everything near the airlock, and then quickly faded. A large section of the airlock door drifted away.

The fox's voice sounded tinny and muffled over the radio, "Okay, one more time. What's the plan?"

The cape buffalo grunted, "Get the goods, get off the wreck, get back to _Serenity_."

The fox nodded, then shined his flashlight through the newly created opening. He noted three shipping containers floating inside. "Okay, let's do it."

Suddenly the cheetah's voice broke over the comm system. "Nick, we've got company! Alliance cruiser, and they're, like, right on top of us!"

The fox muttered an indistinct curse, then demanded, "Have they spotted us?"

"I... I don't know. How could I-"

"Have they hailed us?"

"Great. Another job blown," the massive cape buffalo grunted, "And this time-"

"It isn't blown yet, M'bogo," said the third mammal, a tigress. "I'm sure the captain's-"

"Shut up!" interjected the fox. "Benji, shut the ship down. Everything but tech and life support, Big Guy. Do it now!"

"Okay, Nick! Shutting down!"

The cheetah's paws flew across the console flipping switches, and he called on the ship's intercom. "Judy! JUDY! Shut it all down! Go to black!"

A gray doe bunny wearing grease-stained coveralls bounded towards the engine room, shouting back, "I got it! Going dark!"

In the engine room, the bunny flipped switches, disconnected cables, and then hopped up onto an overhead beam, where she could just reach one last switch. Everything went dark, and the machinery went silent. In the darkness, the bunny spoke softly.

"Okay, now I can't get down."

* * *

The team in space suits continued carefully maneuvering the precious containers out of the wrecked cargo vessel. After a few moments, Nick inquired, "Benji, what are they doing?"

Staring at the bridge console, Benjamin replied, "Nothing. They're just cruising along. They don't seem to be interested in us. In a few more minutes-"

Another alarm sounded on the console, and more lights blinked. "Oh... Em... Captain, they're running a sweep!"

Nick grimaced. "Prep the ship now, Big Guy. Fangmeyer, Bogo, move those crates, double-time."

Benjamin worked the console, shouting, "Judy, fire it up!" In the engine room, Judy flipped the switch in her paw. The lights came on and the machinery started humming back to life. She hopped frantically around the engine room, connecting cables and flipping switches.

In a sing-song voice, Nick said, "Help me, help me, help, she said."

On the bridge, Benjamin continued the sing-song, "Before the Alliance shoots me dead." He flipped a switch and announced, "The bunny is knocking."

Elsewhere, a vaguely bunny-shaped satellite orbited a small moon. Held together with duct tape and baling wire, the improvised device came to life. Its LED "eyes" glowed blue and red. Its antenna "ears" transmitted a recorded Alliance distress signal.

The unauthorized salvage crew quickly moved the three containers into their own ship's airlock. Nick hit a button, closing the airlock door behind them. A yellow light flashed, and then the three mammals and their cargo gently descended to the airlock floor.

The captain ordered, "We're on! Shake a tail, Big Guy! Everyone hold on!"

_Serenity_ moved away from the wreck, rotated her bow away from the massive Alliance cruiser nearby, and engaged her main engine. With a burst of yellow light, the small transport ship quickly faded into the distance.

* * *

Judy descended the stairs to the cargo bay and welcomed the trio back as M'bogo carried all three heavy containers in from the airlock.

Benjamin's voice announced over the ship's intercom, "Ohhh Captainnn, we are shiny! They are NOT, repeat NOT, pursuing us. They seem to be responding to the distress signal."

The unsmiling tigress looked at her captain and sighed. "Close one, Sir."

M'bogo grunted, "At least we finally have a win."

With a practiced smile, Nick replied, "Right. We win."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first Zootopia fanfic used a Firefly quote to set the mood. While discussing unfinished versions with nburgin (my beta-reader), I ended up with an image in my head: At the end of the Big Damn Movie, the blast doors open to reveal... not River Tam, but Judy Hopps, a bloody weapon in each paw, the bodies of savage mammals piled around her. That mental image grew into a full-fledged plot bunny (no pun intended), which was the beginning of this Zootopia-Firefly crossover.
> 
> Clawhauser was the first Zootopia character I cast. I thought his cheerful, happy-go-lucky, non-action-guy character fit Wash's role beautifully. And the similarity between Wash's toy dinosaur monologue and young Judy's stage-play monologue gave me my story's opening.
> 
> Both Mal and Nick have tragic backstories, a deep need to belong to a family/pack, and a determination to face life's difficulties, whatever may come. Casting Nick as the ship's captain was my next decision.
> 
> Judy was next. I actually considered (at least briefly) casting her as each of the female Firefly characters:  
> Zoe - because Judy is Nick's ZPD partner, and she can take down a rhino.  
> Inara - for the WildeHopps ship and because bunnies have a certain reputation.  
> Kaylee - because of Judy's unquenchable "make the world a better place" optimism.  
> River - because Judy looks fragile and vulnerable, but she can take down a rhino.
> 
> I ended up deciding that Judy's "make the world a better place" optimism made her a better fit for Kaylee's role, so I changed her obsession with becoming a cop (which wouldn't have worked in a Firefly setting anyway) into a talent with all things mechanical. Alas, that means that my original mental image will never appear in the finished story. And my apologies to any WildeHopps fans, but Judy is more of a "kid sister" to Nick in this setting. (But who knows... Maybe I'll continue this crossover and adapt the episode "Shindig".)
> 
> Many thanks to Steefwaterbutter and RenkonNairu, my beta-readers. Their advice has been invaluable while I have been polishing (and rewriting) this story.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this fanfic, whether you're a fan of Zootopia, of Firefly, or of both.


	2. Oooh, they're so pretty!

"Oooh, they're so pretty!" The bunny's violet eyes sparkled in delight.

"Oh... Em... Goodness!" The rotund cheetah squealed. "They are just... so shiny!"

"Not bad," snorted the enormous cape buffalo.

The fox captain picked up a metallic golden bar from one of the salvaged shipping crates. A relaxed smile spread across his face. "It looks like that badger really came through this time."

The tigress watched in silence, then noticed her captain's smile fade. Nick quickly returned the bar to the crate and latched the lid.

"Problem, Sir?" she asked.

After a pause that was just a moment too long, Nick's practiced smile returned. "Of course not. But that badger'd better take these off our paws before we run into another Alliance patrol. Benji, how long 'til we reach Persephone?

"Almost four hours," came the reply.

"That long? Can't we make it any faster?"

Benjamin shook his head. "We're running on fumes, Nick. We used a lot of fuel rabbiting from that Alliance cruiser. Oh, no offense, Judy."

The bunny rolled her eyes. "None taken."

Nick's nodded. "Well, do your best. And let that badger know the job's done. Don't mention any complications. Just say the job's done."

The tigress spoke again, "Sir, are we sure there's nothing wrong with-"

"Everything's fine," Nick interjected. "I just want to get paid." Noticing the others staring at him, he ordered, "Okay, everyone. Help Bogo stow these crates. Gotta keep them away from the eyes of tourists."

Judy's eyes widened. "Are we taking on passengers at Persephone?"

"Yes, yes we are," Nick said. "Gotta look respectable on the way to Boros. And we could use the cash."

M'bogo grumbled, "Great. Just great."

"No, it's shiny!" exclaimed Judy. "We get to meet new mammals, and they've all got stories, and every-"

"Captain, please stop her from being cheerful," M'bogo said.

Nick laughed, then smiled warmly at Judy. "I don't think there's a mammal alive that can stop Carrots from being cheerful."

* * *

The bridge was illuminated by only the soft light from the instruments and displays. The lean tigress curled up compactly, but still overflowed the plump cheetah's lap. She sighed. "Ben, you aren't purring."

He whispered in her ear, "Yeah, I'm kinda worried about my wife. She won't tell me what's bugging her."

"It's nothing, Ben. It's just..." She took a deep breath and then slowly released it as her husband waited. "The captain saw something, Ben. I don't know what, but... I... I think the cargo's stamped. The badger's not gonna be happy with that."

"Sherani, Sweetie, don't worry about it," Benjamin said. "The badger set up the job. He knows what the goods are. We'll just deliver them, get paid, and sail off to Boros, rich and... well, maybe not rich. But not so poor. Maybe enough for a quiet getaway, someplace with real food." He started purring as he smiled, "And donuts... fresh donuts... and-"

She smiled and gently poked his belly. "You and your donuts..."

"Where'd Benji get donuts?"

At the sound of her captain's voice, Sherani jumped up and stood erect. "No donuts, Sir. It's nothing, Sir."

"Fangmeyer, you really don't hafta..." Nick shook his head. "As you were."

He turned to her husband. "Benji, has the Ambassador checked in yet?"

"No, not yet. Actually, I think her schedule was pretty busy."

Nick continued, "Well, after you talk to the badger, let her know that we may be leaving Persephone in a hurry."

"Well, maybe she could move things up, meet us early. I could ask," Benjamin suggested.

Nick shook his head, "No, no. Don't do that. Someone on this ship needs to earn an honest living."

* * *

Elegant tapestries and drapes hid the metal walls of the small shuttle behind geometric patterns of rich jewel tones. The shuttle's hatch was slightly open, allowing the morning sunlight to warm the back of a dapper young tiger. He faced a beautiful gazelle and stared adoringly at her long, slim neck... at her soft, pink lips... at the pale stripe along the side of her muzzle... at her gentle brown eyes. He turned towards the open hatch, and then turned back towards her.

"Last night was... You are... The experience has been... It was good. Very good. Thank you."

The gazelle smiled warmly. "You are most welcome." Her accent was soft and melodic.

"Do you really have to leave? I mean, my father is very influential. We could... I could arrange for you..."

The gazelle gently touched his paw, and he stopped talking. "Goodbye, Ranjit," she said softly.

"Goodbye," he said. "And thank you again." With that, he ducked through the hatch.

After the hatch closed, her smile relaxed. She pulled a heavy indigo curtain aside, revealing the shuttle's cockpit. She sat in the pilot's seat, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. As she prepared the shuttle for launch, she spoke, " _Serenity_ , this is shuttle one. What is your ETA?"

A few moments later, the cheetah's voice was heard. "Oooh! Hey, Gazelle! It's so good to hear your voice! We'll be touching down at the Eavesdown docks in about ten minutes. We've been assigned slip A1-13."

Checking the console, she replied, "I will be there in... fifty minutes. See you soon."

"Perfect. We missed you, girl!" the cheerful voice replied.

"Same here, Benjamin." She launched the shuttle and said, "On my way. See you in fifty. Over."

* * *

A bustling marketplace filled the Eavestown docks. In the older section of the docks, at slip A1-13, dust settled around a small Firefly-class transport. The name "Serenity" was painted on its hull in worn, faded calligraphy. Like the lettering on its bow, the ship had seen better days. The transport's loading ramp lowered and the airlock opened. The crew walked down the ramp toward the marketplace, which was filled with mammals of every kind. The fox captain addressed the bunny mechanic, "Carrots, this shouldn't take long. Register our departure for three hours from now. Grab any supplies we need, fuel her up, and get us some passengers."

"Nick, I'd love to get a brand new compression coil," she said. "The one we have-"

"And I'd love to eat my weight in blueberries. Just get us some passengers. Paying passengers! Okay?"

"But Nick, we're drifting if the compression coil goes," she warned.

"Then make sure it stays." He smiled sweetly. "Supplies, fuel, paying passengers. Three hours."

The frustrated bunny thumped her foot as the others headed out through the crowd.

Later, M'bogo waited, pacing back and forth next to a haphazard stack of shipping containers. Nick and Sherani had disappeared into the labyrinth of containers to meet with the badger. Unable to fit through the narrow corridors, the cape buffalo was forced to wait outside.

After what seemed like ages, the other two finally emerged, walking briskly. The fox nodded towards the buffalo, but kept moving. The buffalo followed, grunting, "Let me guess. We didn't get paid."

"Not our biggest problem right now," replied Nick.

"Sir, do you really think the badger would report us to the Feds?" Sherani asked.

"You need to ask?"

M'bogo grunted, "Can't run a ship if you don't get paid."

"Can't get paid if the Feds lock you up," retorted Nick.

"Can't get paid if you're always rabbiting. We all have a share of this job. We all need to get paid."

"Sir, we'll find a buyer on Boros. There's gotta-"

"Boros is too big," Nick interrupted. "The Feds'll be waiting for us, and we'll lose the ship if they catch us with government goods. That's not happening."

"Sir, we could just dump the cargo."

"Shut! Your! Mouth!" said M'bogo. "We haven't been paid in weeks! I signed onto this crew with a promise of work!"

"Bogo's right," Nick said. "The last two jobs went bust. We're broke. Taking on passengers won't help enough. If we don't get paid for this cargo, then we can't afford fuel, not to mention maintenance and repairs. We'll be drifting."

"So," Sherani finally said, "maybe try the border planets like the badger said? Sir?"

Nick shook his head, "Maybe try Whitefall, talk to Dawn-"

"No!" she exclaimed. The captain stopped and stared at her. Quietly, she continued, "Sorry, Sir. Sir, we don't want to deal with Bellwether again."

"Why not?" he asked, resuming his brisk pace.

"Sir, she shot you. We'll find someone else! The Ottertons?"

"They can't afford it."

"Jumbeaux?"

"Doesn't need it. Do you want the list? Bucky and Pronk are broke. Travis is dead-"

"He's dead?"

"Howlers hit his town," Nick shook his head. "Burned it to the ground. No survivors."

M'bogo's eyes widened. "I'm not going anywhere near Howlers. Those animals are just-"

"Look, Whitefall is the safest and the closest. Did Dawn shoot me? Yes, yes she did. But that was a long time ago, and it was just business. She owns half that moon. She can afford our cargo, and I think she needs it. And I can't afford to hold a grudge."

"I still don't like it, Sir."

"I don't like it either," Nick agreed. "But what other choice do we have? Look, we just need to finish the job and get paid. No more surprises."

* * *

Back at the ship, a large ram knelt on the loading ramp, speaking with the gray bunny. His black wool was graying and trimmed short. He wore a simple shirt with a clerical collar. Judy caught the briskly approaching trio out of the corner of her eye, and called out, "Oh, Captain! Shepherd Woolrich has-"

"Not now, Carrots," Nick said. "Prep for launch. Now! We need to be in the air an hour ago."

The crew scrambled, hastily preparing the ship for launch. In the cargo bay, a young, well-dressed buck bunny watched closely as M'bogo carefully lowered a metallic blue crate. The bunny's eyes were hidden by fashionable sunglasses, but he still stood out with his expensive attire and distinctively striped face. Meanwhile, the graying ram made his way through the cargo bay to the staterooms. A weasel gawked, stepping awkwardly around the cargo bay, and tripping over a stray roll of duct tape.

Sherani approached her captain and whispered, "Sir, we now have civilians sitting right on top of our... sensitive cargo. What happens if one of them finds that compartment?"

"Then things get interesting."

* * *

Benjamin was busy on the bridge, preparing the ship for launch. A light on the console flashed, and the speaker crackled, " _Serenity_ , this is shuttle one requesting permission to dock."

He flipped a switch and responded. "Hey, Gazelle! Welcome back. You're just in time."

"Let me guess," she said with a laugh. "We are in a hurry."

"You know it!" He flipped a switch and continued, "Port hatch is green for docking. Once you're docked, just hang tight until we're in the air." Flipping another switch, he announced over the ship's intercom, "Nick, the ambassador has returned. We're scheduled to launch in ten. Repeat: launch in ten."

In the cargo bay below, M'bogo carried in the last containers. Nick hit a button and the loading ramp slowly raised. Another button, and the inner airlock door started closing. Another button, and he announced, "We're all set down here, Big Guy. Launch when ready."

The well-dressed buck bunny rested a paw on his metallic blue crate and nervously watched the closing airlock. Then he followed the smiling fox up the stairs.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I wanted a Zootopia character with Jayne's personality, then I probably would have gone with Finnick. But I thought that Jayne's role needed someone big and physically intimidating. So I went with Chief Bogo, even though his personality is rather different from Jayne's. And yes, in this story, his name is actually M'bogo, although Nick calls him Bogo.
> 
> Zoe's role was the last to be assigned. (Actually, I had an earlier draft of the story complete before I finalized my choice, and then I had to rewrite everything.) I considered a number of options, including Judy (Nick's ZPD partner, capable of taking down a rhino), Finnick (Nick's "partner in crime"), Manchas (Mr. Big's driver), Mancha (a female version of Manchas), and a completely new OC.
> 
> As Mal's lieutenant, Zoe is reserved, unquestioningly loyal, and frankly terrifying when the fighting starts. But she is also Wash's wife, and that relationship reveals a side of her character we don't see otherwise. I also really like the "warrior woman, non-warrior man" dynamic of Zoe and Wash's relationship. Eventually, I cast Fangmeyer (the tigress ZPD officer) in this role. But what is Fangmeyer's first name? A beta-reader suggested simply naming her Zoe, but I chose Sherani for reasons that will become relevant in the next chapter.
> 
> Like Inara, Gazelle is an elegant female character who lives in a higher social class than the rest of the characters. That choice may also set up some interesting pred-prey situations, and of course, I had to pair her up with a tiger at some point.
> 
> I apologize for the delay in publishing this chapter. I actually have drafts of all seven chapters written. But incorporating my beta-readers' feedback has taken longer than expected. Speaking of which, many more thanks to Steefwaterbutter and RenkonNairu, my beta-readers, who have offered a lot of valuable advice while I have been finishing this story.


	3. Welcome aboard Serenity

Like the rest of the ship, the dining area was utilitarian and functional: a basic galley along the starboard side, a long table in the middle of the room, and an assortment of sturdy chairs designed to accommodate mammals of various sizes. Unlike the rest of the ship, the walls here were covered with simple paintings. Brightly colored images of flowers, fruits, and vegetables were everywhere. Above the aft door were several animal faces: a red fox, a tiger, a cheetah, a cape buffalo, a gray bunny, and a gazelle.

Eight mammals were gathered between the table and the aft door. The five crew members were joined by three passengers: the large graying ram, who wore a simple shirt with a clerical collar; the weasel wearing sturdy clothes, who kept glancing uncomfortably at the enormous cape buffalo; and the young well-dressed bunny with light gray fur marked with darker gray stripes, whose steel blue eyes stared intently at the captain.

The fox smiled as he greeted the passengers. "Welcome aboard _Serenity_. I'm Captain Wilde. My friends call me Nick. This is First Officer Fangmeyer... I mean, Fangmeyer-Clawhauser. Her husband Benji is our pilot. Bogo is kinda hard to miss. And you've all met Judy, our mechanic, cruise director, and beaming ray of sunshine."

His eyes darted between the passengers and a scrap of paper with hastily scrawled notes, then he continued, "I assume that you're _Shepherd_ Woolrich."

The ram smiled. "The collar must have given it away."

"And you must be... Mr. Wesselton?"

"Weaselton," the weasel corrected. "Call me Duke."

"Very well, Duke. And that leaves Mr. Savage."

"Doctor Savage, actually," the young, well-dressed bunny said with a guarded smile. Then he added, "But please call me Jack."

The captain then launched into a deliberately casual briefing, explaining the ship's routine to the new passengers: kitchen privileges, meal schedules, dietary options for both prey and predators, ship layout, and safety. Then he added, "Passengers without an escort are restricted to the staterooms and lounge downstairs and the dining area and kitchen up here. An escort is required for any passenger in the bridge, the engine room, or the cargo bay.

Jack spoke up. "Some of my personal effects are in the cargo bay."

Nick smiled. "I assume all of you will need to access your luggage, so as soon as we're done here, Fangmeyer will be happy to escort you downstairs to the cargo bay."

He dropped his smile and continued, "One last thing, and I apologize for the inconvenience. The Alliance has 'requested' that we deliver some medical supplies to Whitefall. It's just a slight detour, so you should all reach Boros no more than a day behind schedule."

"What medical supplies?" the doctor asked.

Without missing a beat, Nick replied, "I never asked. Probably whatever meds they need on the border moons." He shrugged and said, "When the Alliance says 'jump'... Anyway, Fangmeyer, you ready to take them down to the cargo bay?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Speak up if you need anything else. We're here to serve."

The passengers followed Sherani out the aft door and down the stairs. Nick and Benjamin headed out the forward door towards the bridge.

"Any word from Dawn?"

"Bellwether? Um, no, not yet," Benjamin said. "But, um, Nick, uh, didn't she shoot you? Y'know, back when-"

"Don't worry about that, Big Guy."

"Look, I remember Sherani patching you up. Well, starting to patch you up anyway. The rest is, y'know, kinda fuzzy. But the point is-"

"Benji, I said don't worry about it. Just let me know when you hear back from her."

* * *

In the cargo bay, the passengers collected their belongings. Jack placed several items into an elegant valise, keeping an eye on his metallic blue crate the whole time. Duke tripped and bumped the doctor, then apologized awkwardly. Jack nodded, unsmiling, and quickly closed his valise. Judy watched from the top of the stairs. Shepherd Woolrich climbed the stairs, showed her the contents of a large bag, and handed her a small wooden box. Judy opened the box, looked up at him, and smiled broadly.

"Ah, the Ambassador has arrived," came the captain's voice from the deck below.

Judy turned toward the port shuttle bay and exclaimed, "Hey, Gazelle! Welcome back!"

"Hey, Judy! It is good to be back," Gazelle replied while walking towards the stairs. "And I see some new faces."

"Ambassador, this is Shepherd Woolworth," Nick said as he walked up the stairs to join them.

"That's Shepherd Wool _rich_ ," corrected the ram gently. "I wasn't expecting to meet a state official on this trip." The fox snickered, and the ram tilted his head and looked at him. "Did I miss something funny?"

Judy glared at Nick. "Nothing's funny."

Gazelle gracefully explained, "Shepherd Woolrich, 'ambassador' is Nick's way of-"

"She's a whore, preacher," Nick said.

"The word's ' _companion_ '," Judy corrected.

"In a way, she really is our ambassador, preacher," Nick said. "There are plenty of places where someone like... where a ship like this can't even buy a docking permit. With a registered companion on board, especially one as well-respected as Zellie here-"

"My name is Gazelle."

"Yeah, but what kind of a name is Gazelle, really? That's like me calling myself Fox, or Judy calling herself Bunny."

"It is _my_ name," Gazelle retorted, her accent becoming sharp and staccato. "You have no problem with M'bogo's name, which means 'buffalo'. You have no problem with Sherani's name, which means 'tiger'. Why do you always refuse to accept that my name is Gazelle?"

"Well, I think it's a lovely name," remarked the ram. "But if you'll excuse me, I need to take these to the kitchen." And with that, he stepped between the quarreling mammals and carried the large bag to the kitchen.

"Captain," nodded Gazelle curtly, before returning to her shuttle.

Alone with the grinning fox, Judy continued to glare at him. "Why do you do that? Gazelle is our friend!" Her foot thumped as she waved the small wooden box and continued, "I don't think you deserve these." In response to Nick's quizzical look, she explained, "They're a gift, from the shepherd. But you don't deserve them." And with that, Judy followed the shepherd to the kitchen, taking the box with her.

* * *

An enticing, savory aroma filled the dining area as the crew and passengers passed plates and serving dishes filled with the food that Judy and Shepherd Woolrich had prepared. Benjamin exclaimed, "Oh... Em... Goodness! This is amazing!"

"It's not much, just a few things from my garden at the Abbey," explained the shepherd. "And I'm not really used to cooking for predators, so-"

"Preacher, you have nothing to apologize for," said Sherani. "Ben's right. This is amazing."

"It was very kind of you to share with all of us," Jack said quietly.

"Well, we should enjoy it now, while it lasts," the shepherd said. "But the key is the seasonings. A mammal can live on packaged food 'til Judgement Day with enough basil, rosemary, and ginger."

"Well, fresh food is certainly appreciated," said Nick with a nod.

For a few moments, everyone was silent, savoring the meal. Then Jack spoke up. "So, does this happen often? The Alliance commandeering your ship, telling you where to go?"

"What else are governments for?" replied Nick, "I mean, other than telling mammals where to go and what to do..."

"Well, you're doing a good thing," said Duke, "getting meds to mammals who need them. I hear things aren't so pleasant on the border moons. They're actually pretty unpleasant. Famine, disease-"

"Well, yeah, a lot of settlers are dumped on barely habitable moons with only the few things they can carry," replied Nick. "The lucky ones make it. The rest..."

"Then I guess it's good we're helping," commented Jack.

"You're a doctor, right?" asked Judy.

He turned towards her. "Yes. I... I was a trauma surgeon on Osiris, in Capital City."

"You're a long way from home," observed Nick.

Judy continued, "You seem so young, to be a doctor, a surgeon."

"Well, you're pretty young to be a ship's mechanic," Jack said.

"Not really. I just like figuring out how things work. I always have, ever since I was little."

The enormous cape buffalo snorted, suppressing a laugh. He noticed everyone looking up at him, then countered, "What? I didn't say anything."

* * *

Nick slowly descended the ladder to his quarters. Before reaching the floor, he stopped, grabbed the rung above him with both paws, and allowed his legs to dangle freely. The ship's artificial gravity stretched him to his full length, then after a few moments, he let go and dropped the remaining few inches to the floor. He looked towards his bunk and noticed the small wooden box on his pillow. Moving closer, he recognized Judy's writing on the note that was attached:

_Dear Nick,_  
_Sorry I snapped at you earlier. These are a gift from Shepherd Woolrich. I thought you'd enjoy them._  
_Carrots  
_

He opened the box and grinned when he saw the contents. He popped one of the fresh blueberries into his mouth, then closed his eyes, savoring the sweet flavor.

His reverie was interrupted by the cheetah's voice. "Nick, um, I need you on the bridge. Now. Please?"

In a flash, the fox was up the ladder and down the corridor to the bridge. He saw Benjamin staring at a screen. "Report," he said.

"A signal from inside the ship. Someone went on the Cortex and hailed the nearest Alliance vessel."

"You scrambled it, right?"

"Of course, but I don't know how much got through. At the very least, the Alliance got our location." The captain muttered under his breath, and the pilot continued, "We've got a mole on board. Well, not an actual mole, because, um... but you know, an agent, or something... on board."

* * *

Alone in the cargo hold, the young doctor examined an electronic display on the side of his metallic blue crate. Suddenly, he heard the captain's voice behind him, "Forget your chew stick?"

The fox's ambush sent the bunny sprawling across the floor. "What did you tell them?" demanded Nick. As the confused bunny protested, Nick pointed a gun at him. "No games. What do they know?"

"You're insane!" exclaimed the wide-eyed bunny, his nose trembling.

"And you're a lousy Fed," accused the captain.

The ram's voice resonated from the shadows. "I hate to interrupt, Captain, but you've got the wrong mammal." Nick and Jack looked towards his voice, then followed the shepherd's gaze. They saw the weasel pointing a gun at them.

"Drop the weapon, Captain Wilde," the weasel said stiffly. Nick complied, and the weasel continued, "Jonathan Simon Savage, you are hereby bound by law. Stand down."

"What?" the confused fox asked. "The doctor? Oh..."

"Get on the ground!" the weasel ordered. "Get on the ground! Both of you!"

In measured tones, the shepherd spoke, slowly moving towards the others. "I think everyone needs to calm down a bit."

"Keep your nose out of this, Shepherd!" exclaimed the weasel.

As the ram approached, Nick casually inched towards his dropped weapon, speaking with a cheerful, friendly voice. "The doctor isn't going anywhere, officer. We'll lock him in a passenger berth. On Whitefall, you can hand him over to-"

"Get away from that weapon!" demanded the weasel. "What kind of moron do you think I am? You're carrying a fugitive across interplanetary borders. And medical supplies for Whitefall? That's supposed to be believable? That's completely _unbelievable_! As far as I'm concerned, everyone on this ship should rot in jail!"

"Is that so?" Nick maintained his forced smile.

"Please," implored the shepherd, "we are on the verge of-"

"An Alliance cruiser is intercepting this ship, so talk all you want. You've got twenty minutes... maybe less!" exclaimed the weasel.

The cargo bay erupted in a cacophony of voices. The fox charmingly offered anything and everything to the weasel. The bunny steadfastly refused to surrender to anyone. The weasel desperately tried to gain control over the chaos. The ram calmly and gently attempted to avert the violence that seemed all but inevitable.

Just then, Judy entered from the passenger area and started to ask, "Why is everybody-"

Her question was cut short when the weasel turned and fired.

Judy shrieked. Then her body fell to the floor. Jack leapt towards her. Nick dove for his weapon as the weasel aimed at him. Nick raised his weapon, but saw only the ram, standing over the unconscious weasel and holding the disassembled gun in his hooves.

Gazelle ran in from her shuttle bay, screamed Judy's name, and raced down the stairs to her. She removed her outer robe and cushioned Judy's head with it. The doctor examined the injured bunny, cutting away her bloody coveralls. Judy offered only confused and incoherent responses.

Meanwhile, the cape buffalo looked at the ram, and then at the unconscious weasel at his feet. He held out a hoof and demanded, "Gun!" The ram looked at the buffalo, and then handed over the weasel's disassembled weapon.

From the catwalk overhead, Sherani ordered, "M'bogo, tie the weasel up!"

Judy shrieked again.

"Is the infirmary working?" the doctor demanded of the captain.

"It's good to go."

Jack instructed Gazelle and Nick, "Okay, together, on the count of three-"

The pilot's voice blared over the ship's intercom, "Captain, an Alliance cruiser just ordered us to maintain course and dock for prisoner transfer."

The doctor stood and backed away from Judy. He locked eyes with the captain, and spoke in a quiet, steady voice, "Change course. Run."

"What? No! This is your mess! I'm leaving you with the Feds!"

Sherani shouted, "Nick, the Feds won't just let us walk."

"Then we dump him in the other shuttle and-"

Judy shrieked again.

Calmly, the doctor asked, "Do you know what a belly wound like this does to an animal?"

The captain snarled. "Yes, yes I do!"

Still calm, the doctor continued, "Then you know how crucial the next few minutes are."

"You... rich kid! Do your damned job!" shouted Nick.

"Turn the ship around."

Gazelle demanded, "Enough! Nick, just do it!"

"Don't you _ever_ tell me what to do on my ship!"

Nick cringed as Judy shrieked a fourth time. Glaring at the doctor, he spoke through gritted teeth, "Fangmeyer, change course."

Quickly, the doctor instructed the others. As Gazelle and Nick gently carried Judy to the infirmary, Sherani called on the intercom, "Ben, change course. Hard burn. We're rabbiting. Oh... sorry Judy."

* * *

In the infirmary, the doctor worked furiously to treat the wounded bunny while directing the others to assist. They worked like a well-practiced trauma team: retrieving supplies from the infirmary cabinets, retrieving a medical kit from his room, prepping the patient, assisting with the surgery, and tending to the patient in various ways. Finally, after more than two hours, he backed away, removed his gloves and gown, and collapsed against the wall.

"Now we wait," he said.

"Will she be okay?" Nick asked.

"I am cautiously optimistic."

Her face hard, Gazelle demanded, "Then someone tell me what is going on. Now!"

"Let's find out," Nick said as he briskly exited the infirmary.

Jack's face transitioned from exhaustion to confusion to realization. He desperately ran after the fox, shouting, "No! No! Stay away from that! Stay away-"

M'bogo had been intently watching Judy's treatment from just outside the infirmary. Before Jack could pass him, the enormous buffalo grabbed the bunny, immobilizing him with his massive arms, pushing Jack's face into the crook of his elbow to muzzle him.

"Where's the Fed?" Nick asked.

M'bogo replied, "His room. Secure. Shepherd's making sure he doesn't die on us." The bunny in his arms struggled futilely.

As Nick operated the controls on the metallic blue crate, he remarked, "Let's see what a bunny like this would kill for." The display flashed a sequence of messages, then the latches at the four corners opened. A few wisps of mist escaped as the pressurized seal released.

The others watched as Nick pushed the lid off the top of the crate. He looked inside, then at the thrashing bunny in M'bogo's arms. He looked back inside and cocked his ear. "Huh..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I considered a few existing Zootopia characters for Shepherd Book's role, but none of them seemed to fit. Then I thought about casting an OC sheep for the shepherd, just for the "shepherd is a sheep" silliness. The Firefly scene where River was terrified of Book's woolly hair cemented that choice in my mind, and Shepherd Woolrich joined the cast.
> 
> I considered a few options for Simon (the doctor), including Nick. But ultimately, I ended up adapting the original Jack Savage concept from the early pitches that eventually yielded the movie Zootopia. And when the weasel arrested him, it seemed like he should use the doctor's full name, so I gave him the middle name Simon.
> 
> And Dobson became Duke Weaselton. Although I briefly considered casting Duke Weaselton as Wash, given that Alan Tudyk played both of them.
> 
> And yes, I know Gazelle's translations aren't quite right, but no one has spoken those ancient languages from Zootopia That Was for centuries. And for what it's worth, if I continue this crossover beyond this story, then I plan to maintain her "ambassador" title.
> 
> So, what is inside Jack's metallic blue crate? (Firefly fans have a pretty good idea, I'm sure.)


	4. You bunnies

Nick stood motionless in the cargo bay, staring into the metallic blue crate. M'bogo and Gazelle stood just inside the entrance from the passenger area and watched. Only Jack moved, continuing his futile struggle, helplessly trapped by M'bogo's massive arms.

"Y'know," the fox finally quipped, "you bunnies do have a certain reputation. But I never-"

He was interrupted by a terrified shriek that reverberated throughout the cargo bay.

Nick stumbled backward. M'bogo leaned forward, a curious expression on his face, while Jack redoubled his efforts to escape. Gazelle watched intently and lowered her horns. Sherani silently stepped onto the overhead catwalk.

Another shriek, and a mass of fur bounded out of the crate. Then another shriek, and another. A wild-eyed dark gray bunny, completely unclothed, careened around the cargo bay, shrieking as she ran. Taking advantage of M'bogo's momentary distraction, Jack finally managed to kick his way loose. Then he ran after the shrieking bunny.

"Brooke! Brooke! Stop! Please stop! It's okay! Please stop!"

She rounded a corner and slammed into the doctor, who wrapped his arms around her tightly. The two bunnies rolled across the cargo bay floor together.

Her steel-blue eyes stared intently into his. Her trembling slowed as awareness spread across her face, and she asked quietly, "Johnny?"

"Yes, it's me, Brooke," the doctor replied, finally smiling. "It's me. You're safe now."

She wailed, "Johnny, they... they talk to me. They want me to... to..."

"Shh... Shh... They're gone," he said gently. "They're gone. We're safe. You're safe. You're safe with me. You're safe with me." The weeping doe bunny collapsed into his arms and clung to him.

Nick said flatly, "Report."

Jack held the sobbing bunny, and answered, "Captain Wilde, this is my sister, Brooke."

As Jack slowly guided Brooke towards the infirmary, Gazelle removed her outer robe, folded it, and draped it around the small unclothed bunny. The doctor nodded to Gazelle. His sister stared with a childlike fascination at the vibrant silk fabric. At the door to the infirmary, Brooke recoiled, pulling against Jack's gentle, but insistent, grip. When Brooke saw Judy's unconscious light gray form, she collapsed to the floor and sobbed. Slowly, gently, Jack and Gazelle reassured her and lifted her to the examination table. Slowly, gently, her brother checked her vital signs and administered medications. Seemingly terrified of everything and everyone else, she kept looking back at her brother with forlorn, hopeless eyes. Finally, he administered a sedative. Holding her brother's paw, Brooke drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Later, everyone but Judy, Brooke, and the weasel gathered in the dining area. Jack stood. The others sat facing him. He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. The others stared somberly at him, waiting.

"I am very smart," the doctor began.

As the doctor continued, the captain shook his head in disbelief. He had given this arrogant spoiled bunny a chance to explain himself, and this is how he used it? A litany of over-the-top rich-kid accomplishments?

"So when I say that my little sister makes me look like the feeble-minded runt of the litter, I want you to understand my full meaning," Jack continued.

The captain tried to imagine what kind of a hustle the bunny was pulling. According to the doctor, his frightened, helpless sister was supposed to be an even bigger genius than he was. Nick glanced around at the others. To his surprise, they actually seemed to be listening intently to the doctor's story.

"There was a school," the bunny continued, "a government-sponsored academy."

The captain clenched his jaw. So the doctor's sister attended some elite academy. These rich kids, with their money, their academies, their estates, their luxuries-they had no idea what the real world was like.

"I..." Jack paused and pushed back tears. "I got a few letters at first, but then... nothing. For months, nothing. I was busy at the hospital. I assumed she... I never..." He took a deep breath and continued, "Finally I got another letter from her, but it made no sense. She... She wrote about things that never happened, people we'd never met, events that... It was code. It just said... 'Get me out. They hurt us.'"

Sherani finally broke the silence, "How did you do it?"

"Money," Jack shrugged. "Money and luck. Money and luck and... contacts." The doctor described two years of fruitlessly searching on his own, and an unnamed underground movement that had finally reached out to him and warned him of horrifying experiments to which his sister was being subjected. These mammals had offered to help him, but lacked resources. And so, in exchange for a small fortune, he had found himself on Persephone, a fugitive from the Alliance, with nothing but the possessions he had with him, the most important of which was the cryostasis chamber containing his fugitive sister.

"Will she be okay?" Gazelle asked.

Jack paused. "I... I don't know. Her side effects from cryostasis appear to be very mild, even though she emerged prematurely. But I don't know what they did to her, at the 'academy'... and I don't know why, or... I just... I need to keep her safe."

No one moved, not even the captain. Finally, the ram's deep, resonant voice broke the silence, "That's quite a story, son."

The fox stood and strode menacingly towards the bunny. "Yeah, it's a real tragedy. Gets you right here," he said, thumping his chest with his paw. "But here's the reality of the situation: we're drowning in all your trouble. We've got a kidnapped federal officer on board. The Alliance is on our tail. And Judy-" He froze, unable to continue. Then he slowly turned to face the cheetah, and asked quietly, "How much does the Alliance know?"

"I can't say," Benjamin replied. "They had our position. They expected at least one prisoner. I killed the weasel's message pretty quick, so they might not have had much else."

"Or they might have complete files on every one of us. We won't know until that weasel wakes up."

The crew and passengers looked at each other uneasily. The captain addressed his crew. "We need to finish the job. Bellwether is waiting for us. We land on Whitefall, finish the deal, and get out. We keep flying."

"What about us?" Jack asked.

"You get Judy through this, and then you and your sister get off at Whitefall."

"Nick, you know those two would not survive a day in Whitefall," Gazelle stated firmly. "If you throw them out, then I am leaving too."

The fox stared at her, blinked, then replied, "Well... I guess that's... that's the way it is." With that, he left the dining hall.

Gazelle's face fell as Nick strode down the corridor. Silently, Sherani followed her captain.

* * *

In the infirmary, Judy and Brooke lay sleeping on their beds. Jack was writing notes on Judy's chart when the shepherd's voice startled him. "How's she doing?"

He stared at the ram, his steel-blue eyes wide. He finally replied, "I am cautiously optimistic."

"Son, how is she doing?"

Jack's gaze dropped. "The surgery went well... very well... but... but she's still a bunny. Even one bullet, for mammals like us... I... I shouldn't have waited... but I couldn't let them..."

"Son, the past is in the past. Let it go. Today has enough worries. Don't borrow more from tomorrow, or from yesterday." After a pause, he continued, "Did you happen to to notice this ship's name?"

A sad smile on his lips, Jack answered, " _Serenity_ , right? What a joke."

"I don't think so." The doctor looked up quizzically, and the shepherd explained, "To understand the present, you do need to understand the past. Do you have a current encyclopedia?"

"Of course."

"Serenity Valley. Look it up."

* * *

In his quarters, the weasel was duct-taped to a chair, his snout wrapped with an improvised duct-tape muzzle. The fox and the cape buffalo stood over him as he woke up and looked around the room. The fox said, "I'm sure you know what kind of day I'm having: certain mammals making my life just a little too interesting. For example, an Alliance weasel who likes to shoot sweet little doe bunnies when he's nervous."

He ripped the duct tape from the weasel's snout and continued, "Now, what I need to know is this: exactly how much did you tell the Alliance before Benji scrambled your call? Bogo here is gonna find out. I don't care how." And with that, the fox left the room.

M'bogo picked up the chair and the weasel together with one hoof. The weasel spoke, "You're in so much trouble. You think this is just a smuggling rap? The package the doctor is carrying-"

"It's his sister," M'bogo said. He started to squeeze the weasel. "A cute little doe bunny. You planning to shoot her, the way you shot Judy?"

The weasel's eyes grew wide, and he started shouting. "That bunny is a precious commodity! They'll come for her! Long after you kill me, they'll come for her!"

"Oh, I won't kill you, Duke," M'bogo said. "I'm just gonna squeeze a little information out of you. Information like, how much do they know?"

Struggling to breathe, the weasel screamed, "They know everything. They know every name... every record... every paw print... every... They know how many... how many hairs... there are... on every mammal... on this ship!"

M'bogo set the chair down gently and sighed. "You are a terrible liar. It's obvious they don't know anything."

"Okay, the truth... just the truth," said the weasel, gasping for air. "This bunny... the doe... She's worth a lot of money. Not just a little, but a lot. You kill me and you get nothing. I mean zero. You help me out, you get... the opposite of zero. You get enough to buy your own ship. And not a flying junkyard like this one."

"Tell me more," M'bogo said quietly.

* * *

As his patients continued to sleep, the doctor sat on a bench just outside the infirmary. He stared at a tablet screen, reading an encyclopedia entry. It detailed the Battle of Serenity Valley: the number of Independent troops lost, the number of Alliance troops lost, the significance of the battle as the turning point of the War to Unite the Planets, the duration of the fighting, the key skirmishes, the terms of the Independent troops' surrender, and so on.

"We aren't in there."

His nose twitched briefly, then he stared at the tigress, his steel-blue eyes wide. Sherani continued, "Your history book, we aren't in it. We weren't generals. We weren't diplomats. We weren't... We didn't 'change the tide of glorious history' or... or anything like that."

"Well, you know what they say about history," Jack said.

"What do they say about the smell?"

The doctor looked at the screen again, then back up at the tigress. "The smell?"

"Three months in that valley. More than half a million dead. Most of the rest wounded. Short supplies. Necrosis, infection, disease. Be glad you aren't a pred."

After a moment, he asked, "The captain was with you?"

"Wilde was my platoon sergeant. At first anyway. Within a week, so many officers were dead, he commanded thousands. Platoons, companies, battalions, not that we had time to care about such things. We didn't care that he was a fox either, although the higher-ups sure did."

Sherani looked away, then continued, "But you know the worst part? It wasn't the fighting. It was after the fighting, after the cease fire. Because they left us there. Wounded and sick and bleeding and rotting and dying and nearly mad. Both sides left us there. They 'negotiated the peace' for more than a week. And we waited. And we kept dying. By the time they finally sent in medships, he had a hundred and forty-six of us left. Of our original platoon, just me."

Staring into the bunny's eyes, she concluded, "He lost everything in that valley. All he has left is this ship... this ship and those of us on it. If you get Judy through this, then he'll do right by you."

The doctor looked at the screen again, then looked back up. The tigress was gone.

* * *

On the bridge, the fox and the cheetah stared at the console. The captain asked, "How in the world did they find us?"

"It's not Alliance, Nick. It's an older Trans-U, and I'm picking up a lot of radiation, like they're running without containment. Nick, it looks like-"

"Howlers," the captain whispered.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now you've met the last member of the main cast. Simon and River are siblings, so naturally Jack's sister Brooke had to be a bunny. But I had already cast Judy in Kaylee's role, and none of the other bunny characters fit, so Brooke is an OC bunny.
> 
> Some of the minor characters seemed relatively obvious to me. Badger became an unnamed badger, referred to simply as "the badger". Patience (who shot Nick previously) became Dawn Bellwether. Reavers are similar to the savage predators in Zootopia, but I needed an in-universe name for them. I ended up calling them "Howlers", even though in Zootopia, the term "Night Howlers" was never applied to the savage predators themselves.
> 
> The Serenity Valley discussion was adapted from deleted scenes from the original episode. I thought they worked better than the episode's actual scenes, at least in a written format like this.


	5. This is the captain

In the infirmary, the two doe bunnies lay on their beds, sleeping. The graying ram stood quietly between them, his eyes closed, one hoof gently resting on each bed. The buck bunny sat on the bench outside the infirmary, staring at the screen of the tablet in his paws.

Then the fox's voice blared over the ship's intercom. "This is the captain. We're passing another ship. It looks like a Howler raiding party. But they haven't made a move yet, so everyone stay calm."

The doe bunnies continued sleeping. The ram stood, shoulders tense, his somber eyes looking through the doorway at the buck bunny. The buck bunny looked back with confusion written on his face.

The fox's announcement continued, "If we try to run, then they _will_ chase us. It's in their DNA. So we're holding course. We should be passing them soon, and then we'll see what they do."

Confused, the buck bunny said to the shepherd, "Wait, I... I don't understand."

The shepherd replied, "You've never heard of Howlers?"

"Well, sure... campfire stories... cheesy movies... mammals on the edge of space gone savage, killing, raping, looting-"

"They aren't just stories, son."

Jack's nose twitched. "But..." He swallowed hard. "Then... So what... what happens if... if..."

Shepherd Woolrich replied somberly, "Well, they won't kill us, not right away. They want us alive. But we'll welcome death long before it comes."

* * *

In the bridge, the fox, the cheetah, and the tigress stared at the passing vessel. A century ago, it might have been a luxurious passenger liner. But now, all that remained was a wreck that should have been dismantled for salvage years ago. Breaches in the hull exposed several sections to the vacuum of space. Huge weapons were crudely secured to the fuselage, which was also adorned with red paint and the remains of dozens of mammals.

Benjamin sat motionless, his paws hovering over the controls but not touching them. Sherani touched his shoulder. He moved one paw to cover hers, and pointed with the other. "That's a magnetic grappler. If they get us with that-"

"Benji, just tell us if they change course," Nick said.

Minutes passed in silence. M'bogo peeked through the door and said, "All mine are loaded. I'm starting on the armory." After a pause, he added, "May as well take some of them with us." And then he left.

After several more silent minutes, Benjamin whispered sharply, "They're holding course. I guess they weren't hungry. I really didn't expect to see them out here, Nick."

Nick and Sherani looked at each other and nodded.

* * *

Later, in the infirmary, Nick watched the two sleeping doe bunnies. Brooke lay motionless, except for the slow, steady rhythm of her breathing. Judy stirred and stared with drowsy eyes at Brooke, who continued sleeping.

"She looks so cute," Judy whispered.

Nick smiled. "Hey, Carrots. What's up with the C-word?"

She smiled back. "We're both bunnies. It's okay."

"If you say so. How you doing?"

"I'm okay," she replied. "How's she doing? Was she shot too?"

"No, Carrots, just you. Doc's sister, well, she has her own problems," he said, holding her paw. "But right now, you just need to rest and get better. Pretty soon, something on this ship's gonna break, and I'll need my cute little mechanic hopping around, fixing whatever it is."

Judy scowled slightly. "Dumb fox." She closed her eyes and whispered, "Jack took care of me. He wasn't going to let me die." She squeezed the fox's paw weakly.

Then her paw went limp and fell away from his.

* * *

The captain passed the port shuttle bay on his way to the bridge. As the doctor emerged, the captain turned to face him. He raised his eyebrows and said, "So, you and Gazelle, huh?"

"What? No... I..." He held up the bundle in his paws. "I was just checking for medical supplies. The infirmary, what's there is pretty rudimentary. I just-"

"Look, you need to understand something," interrupted Nick. "Everyone on this ship-everyone, even someone legitimate like Gazelle-we're all at risk because of that Fed. He's your problem. What are you going to do about him?"

The bunny slowly lowered his paws, but continued looking up at the fox. "I don't know."

"How many more of us are going to die because of you?"

Jack blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Judy's dead."

Jack's striped face froze. Then he sprinted towards the infirmary. A few seconds later, he stood in the infirmary, breathless, eyes wide, watching Judy smile at Shepherd Woolrich, who was holding her paw. As realization set in, he shook his head. "That fox is insane!"

* * *

In the bridge, Nick laughed heartily with Benjamin, Sherani, and M'bogo. Wiping tears from his eyes, the cheetah exclaimed, "Oh... Em... Goodness! You are insane!"

Nick held his paw to his chest in mock contrition. "I am a bad, bad fox. But you should have seen his face."

"But Judy's really okay, Sir?" Sherani asked.

"Yeah. Honestly, she's doing better than I ever expected. The doctor's good. Really good."

The console beeped, and the cheetah said, "Um, Nick, you've got a video call. It's Bellwether." The fox nodded and turned towards a display on the wall. The cheetah flipped a console switch.

The face of a ewe appeared on the display, and her voice crackled from the speaker. "Nick Wilde?"

"Dawn Bellwether?" the fox said, with a practiced smile.

"I... I was surprised to hear from you again."

"Look, Dawn, I know we haven't always been best buddies. But I think we can both come out ahead on this. This is good business."

"So what's the story with your cargo?" the ewe asked. "Your asking price seems too good to be true."

"It's imprinted. All of it. The Alliance seal is on every bar. We pass the savings on to you."

"Ah, government goods. I should have known."

"I understand if that's a deal-breaker. I just thought you could use-"

"The Alliance doesn't scare me," Bellwether said flatly. "It's just due diligence. You've got a deal. I'll transmit rendezvous coordinates." Then the connection ended.

Staring at the blank screen, Nick sighed. "I think that sheep is planning to shoot me again."

M'bogo shrugged. "She isn't planning to pay you. She didn't haggle at all."

Nick closed his eyes and lowered his head.

Sherani spoke. "Sir, we don't have to deal with Bellwether."

"Yes. Yes we do. We really do."

M'bogo spoke. "We could shoot her first."

Benjamin laughed. "It is her turn, right?"

Smirking, Nick shook his head. "That still doesn't get us what we need though." Now serious, he continued, "We need to get paid. Dawn needs what we have. She has the money. So we make sure we get paid. Somehow."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing I have struggled with is keeping the characters' reactions true to the Zootopia characters' personalities. It's all too easy to turn them into Firefly characters in fursuits. Some of that occurs when they use Firefly jargon (e.g., "shiny"). Some of that occurs when I follow the original plot and dialogue closely.
> 
> The scenes that set up key plot points for later are the hardest to adapt. If such scenes change too much, then that tends to break the original plot, and I'm not ready to take the story in a completely different direction. Maybe I can do that with a later story, but for now, the basic storyline is close to the original episode.


	6. Nice place for an ambush

It was late morning on Whitefall. In the scrubland a few miles west of town, on the side of a hill, Nick and Sherani crouched under a small tree that was barely more than a bush. In the valley below them, three well-used trails met in a small clearing. The pair scanned the terrain near the rendezvous point.

"Nice place for an ambush, Sir."

"Yes," Nick replied. "Yes it is."

M'bogo approached quickly and silently, then crouched beside the tree. "It's buried, where you said. Gear's back on the ship."

Still scanning the terrain, the fox spoke. "Okay, Dawn will assume that we've hidden the cargo. They won't shoot us until we tell her where it is." Pointing, he continued, "She'll approach from the east, show us the money, demand proof we've got the goods. We'll show her, get the money, and give her the location. And then snipers hit us... from there... and there. Bogo, they should already be in place. You know what to do."

"No rabbiting this time?" the cape buffalo asked.

Nick shook his head. "Not this time. Keep quiet. I want Dawn to think they're still in place. And don't kill anyone unless you have to. This is just business."

"Understood," M'bogo said as he turned to leave.

After a few moments, Sherani sighed. "This is still a bad idea, Sir."

Nick grinned at her. "I've had worse."

Sherani tried to hide a grin of her own. "Oh, yeah. Much worse."

* * *

The graying ram gently knocked on the door to the weasel's room. "Officer, it's Shepherd Woolrich." His greeting was met with silence. He opened the door and entered. "Officer Weaselton, I prepared a plate of-"

There was a blur of motion and a dull thud, then the ram collapsed to the floor. The weasel closed the door quietly, and then more dull thuds followed, one after another after another. But no one else was around to hear them.

* * *

In the small valley, Nick and Sherani stood on the west edge of the clearing, their paws resting gently near their holstered weapons, their eyes and ears alert. Dawn Bellwether, a petite ewe, approached up the trail from the east, accompanied by four huge rams. Their eyes stared intently at the fox and the tigress. They were followed by three donkeys who stopped well before the edge of the clearing and waited.

"Nick Wilde!" the ewe exclaimed, her voice cloyingly sweet. "How's my favorite fox?"

"Dawn Bellwether," he replied, smiling. "How's my favorite sheep?"

"Sherani Fangmeyer, you still skulking around with this tod?"

After a moment, the tigress quietly said, "That's an awfully big crew to haul three crates."

"Well, you know how it is," Bellwether shrugged. "You're both predators. I can't be too careful."

Nick swallowed and maintained his smile, "This is just business, Dawn. Everything's on the table."

"I don't see my cargo anywhere," Bellwether said.

"I don't see my money anywhere," he countered, still smiling.

"Do you really expect me to trust a fox?" she said coldly.

Slowly, Nick gently pulled open the left side of his long brown coat. The rams' shoulders tensed, as they moved their hooves closer to their weapons. With his other paw, Nick slowly removed a metallic golden bar from the inside coat pocket. With practiced indifference, he tossed the bar to Bellwether. The ram standing next to her caught it, then handed it to her. She tore the golden foil at one corner and sniffed the contents.

"It's the real thing, Dawn," Nick said. "Top-of-the-line universal rations. Complete concentrated nutrition, vitamins, minerals, proteins, probiotics, immunization, the works. One of those will feed me and Fangmeyer for months. It'll feed your crew here for weeks."

Taking a tiny nibble, she nodded, "Yeah, that's the stuff." She removed a small pouch from her belt and tossed it to Nick. It jingled as he caught it. "So, where's the rest of it?" she asked.

"We buried it," he explained. "Follow that trail to the north about a mile, until you see three stones stacked on top of each other. From there, head half a mile due east. At the bottom of the first hill, there's a double-trunk tree near another double-trunk tree. Between them, you'll see freshly dug soil."

After a few moments, Bellwether smiled. "I suppose I will, dumb fox."

Nick clenched his jaw. After a few more moments, he said, "Pleasure doing business."

One of the rams glanced up at the hills surrounding them. Another glanced at the ewe. The others continued to stare at Nick and Sherani. Bellwether continued smiling. "Yeah, pleasure doing business... with a dumb fox."

"This is win-win, Dawn," Nick said. "You came out ahead. I came out ahead. You know that's good business."

"Good business." The ewe scowled. "Nick, I have a simple business rule: I don't just give money to filthy predators like you. Dumb fox."

The rams' hooves moved closer to their weapons. Nick tossed the pouch back to Bellwether. It landed on the ground at her feet. None of the sheep even looked at it. Nick said, "You've got your money back, Dawn. There's no need for shooting."

The ewe smirked. "You foxes are supposed to be so cunning, but you're really pretty stupid, aren't you, Nick? Do you really think I'd let a couple filthy predators like you walk away? Dumb. Fox."

Nick nodded at one of the rams, commenting, "That sure is a beautiful gun he's carrying. I bet he really knows firearms."

The ram grinned menacingly. Bellwether said, "That's Doug. Don't worry. He'll make it quick and painless. Dumb! Fox!"

"Pleased to meet you, Doug," Nick said casually. "Nice hat."

The ram's worn, dusty hat suddenly flew across the clearing, as the report of a rifle echoed through the hills. The ram's lifeless body fell to the ground. Chaos erupted in the clearing, as the fox, the tigress, and the sheep scrambled for cover, drew their weapons, and started firing. Another ram fell, and then another. The tigress fell. Then the last ram fell.

Blood dripped down the fox's leg as he limped over to the cowering ewe. He aimed his gun at her. Then he felt a gun barrel touch the back of his neck. He raised his paws as a donkey stood behind him, holding him at gunpoint.

* * *

On the ship's bridge, the chubby cheetah faced the buck bunny. "Jack, please? I'm serious. Please ask the captain to drop you off somewhere else. Whitefall isn't exactly the best place for a couple cute little... well, for anyone really. Gazelle's right, you and your sister-"

"You don't need to worry about us," Jack said.

"Hey, it's what I do," Benjamin said, smiling. "When Sherani's working, I always worry. It's just part of the job. I've got plenty left over for a couple cute... for you two."

Lights flashed and the console beeped. The cheetah's eyes grew wide. "Oh... Em... No, no, no, no, no!" he shouted at the display. His eyes filled with terror, he whispered to the bunny, "Howlers!"

* * *

In the infirmary, Brooke woke and sat up. Judy looked towards the sudden movement.

"Johnny?" Brooke called. Jumping off the bed, she looked around the infirmary, her eyes wild and confused. "Johnny? Johnny?!"

"What's wrong?" Judy asked. Brooke backed away from her, cringing as her eyes darted around the infirmary.

"Look who's all bright eyed and bushy tailed," Weaselton sneered, suddenly standing behind Brooke. He held one gun under Brooke's chin, and pointed another at Judy. Looking at Judy, he continued, "Look, if you know what's good for you, you won't make a sound. Not a sound! Or the next one goes through your head. Through your head! Understand?"

Without waiting for an answer, he led Brooke out of the infirmary. Her nose quivered as she complied.

* * *

The petite ewe glanced around the clearing, coldly observing the bodies of the four rams and the practiced smile on the face of the surrendering fox, who was held at gunpoint by the one donkey who hadn't fled when the shooting started.

"Wipe that smile off your face, you stupid fox!" she shouted, kicking him in the groin. He dropped like a stone. "Did you really think I'd let a filthy predator like you just walk away? Stupid, filthy fox." She stomped on his bleeding leg. Nick groaned.

Seething, she continued, "Now, I should have Eddie here just put you out of your misery, but... but after what you did to Doug... and Woolter... and Jessie... and John James..." She punctuated each name by stomping on his leg again. She grinned menacingly. "I think you've earned something a little more... a little more _special_."

"Please..." The fox gasped. "No..."

"I told you to shut up!" she shouted, stomping on his leg again. "Something special... Yeah, I know just-"

The report of a rifle echoed through the hills as the donkey collapsed in a heap. The ewe screamed, then collapsed next to the donkey, her face contorting as her hoof flailed uselessly at the electric probes embedded in her side.

Lying on the ground, the tigress smiled briefly and dropped the stun gun.

"Report?" the fox grunted, struggling to stand.

"I... I need that doctor, Sir. And a stretcher. And my gun. Where's my gun?"

The fox hunched over, resting his paws on his knees. "For the record, you were right. This was a really bad idea."

The tigress nodded. "Still not your worst."

Nick hobbled over to the still-twitching ewe and turned her face towards his. "Can you understand me?" he asked, pointing his gun between her eyes. When the ewe nodded, he continued, "This is just business. I don't care what you think of me, or of foxes, or of preds in general. But I have a simple business rule: I do the job, and then I get paid."

Taking the money back, he forced a smile. "Pleasure doing business."

He looked up to see the cape buffalo running towards them at full speed. M'bogo shouted, "Howlers! Clawhauser called! Ship coming! Followed us! Howlers! Howlers followed us!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know that Dawn hadn't told Nick to shut up previously. Sometimes characters make mistakes.
> 
> The names of Dawn's first three rams came from the rams in the Night Howler lab. Her fourth ram comes from a different movie. SICNR.
> 
> Again, many many thanks to Steefwaterbutter, who has continued to provide a lot of valuable advice while beta-reading this story.
> 
> There is one chapter left in this story. In the meantime, I've started working on a sequel, based on the Firefly episode "The Train Job". I'm taking more liberties with the original plot for that one though. Essentially, I'm starting with the original premise of the Firefly episode, but letting the Zootopia characters take things in a different direction.
> 
> I might continue this series by adapting other Firefly episodes. "Shindig" would make some WildeHopps shippers happy. And I'd love to do "Out of Gas", although a lot of the flashback scenes would have to be completely changed, given the differences between these Zootopia characters and the original Firefly characters. Given the differences between Jayne and M'bogo, "Jaynetown" is right out. And it might be fun to do some completely new stories.


	7. Howlers!

"Howlers!" Benjamin's voice blared over the ship's intercom. "The Howler ship-it's heading straight toward us! Launch in one minute! One minute!" He flipped switches on the console, and the ship started coming to life.

A light flashed on his console, and on the speaker he heard Judy's voice, weak and uneven. "The weasel... he took Brooke."

Benjamin gasped, and then turned towards Jack, but the bunny was already gone.

* * *

Brooke's nose quivered as the weasel directed her through the cargo bay, towards the open airlock, towards the loading ramp. He held a gun under her chin. She trembled as she complied, slowly making her way towards the bright sunlight.

They were half-way across the cargo bay floor when the cheetah's warning sounded. Moments later, the enormous silhouette of the cape buffalo appeared in the open airlock. In his arms, he carried the wounded tigress. The fox was clinging to his back.

Gasping for breath, M'bogo knelt on the cargo bay floor next to the control console. Nick let go, dropped to the floor, and slammed a button on the console. He shouted, "Benji, we're on! Shake a tail!"

As their eyes adjusted to the relative darkness of the cargo bay, they noticed the weasel pointing a gun at them, and holding another gun under Brooke's chin. "I don't wanna hurt nobody," Weaselton shouted at them. "I'm just doing my job. Not gonna hurt nobody, unless you get in my way. Ain't playing games, so-"

Brooke shrieked and fell to the floor. With his right paw, the weasel tucked a gun under his left arm, then grabbed Brooke. Jack ran onto the catwalk overhead and jumped. The weasel tried to drag Brooke to her feet. Jack landed, kicking the weasel's head with all his strength. The weasel's guns skittered across the floor as he landed in a heap.

"Bogo!" the captain shouted, pointing at the weasel. Without speaking, M'bogo gently set Sherani on the floor, forced himself to his feet, and threw the weasel's limp body out the airlock. Nick hit buttons on the console, raising the loading ramp and closing the airlock.

M'bogo picked up Sherani again and carried her towards the infirmary. He stumbled slightly when the ship abruptly jerked into the air.

The shepherd stood in the doorway, the wool around his face and shoulders matted with blood. He moved aside for the cape buffalo, and then followed him to the infirmary.

Brooke knelt next to her brother. "Johnny?"

He lay on the floor, looking up at her. "It's okay, Brooke. It's okay." As he tried to stand, he let out an involuntary shriek. After regaining his composure, he said simply, "Ouch." He smiled weakly at his sister, then called out, "A little help here? Anyone? I can't walk."

Brooke smiled up at Nick, who was standing behind her brother. "Dumb bunny," she said, shrugging her shoulders. Nick lifted the injured doctor and limped towards the infirmary. Brooke followed close behind, her eyes closed, her nose trembling, and one paw on Nick's back.

* * *

A few minutes later, Nick limped into the bridge and demanded, "How close are they?"

"Too close," Benjamin replied, not looking up from his console.

Nick studied the display. "How close do they need to be to use those grapplers?"

Benjamin simply turned the yoke, veering the ship hard to port. "I need Judy in the engine room," he said quietly.

"Benji, she's still-"

"Nick, I need Judy in the engine room."

Nick hit a button and spoke over the ship's intercom, "Bogo, get Judy to the engine room. Now."

"Nick?" Gazelle spoke, standing at the entrance to the bridge.

He quickly pointed her back down the corridor, towards the shuttle bay. "Gazelle, get in your shuttle. Get the civilians. Get ready to go."

"We cannot just leave you here," she protested.

"Sure you can. Look, if the Howlers board us, you take off, head for town. We might be able to keep them here, stop them from following."

"They will kill you!" she exclaimed.

He continued. "Watch out for Bellwether. She's... Just stay away from her. Get ready to go. Now!" She left, glancing back over her shoulder as she went. He turned back toward the pilot.

Resting a paw on Benjamin's shoulder, he simply said, "Report?"

A tear fell from the cheetah's eye as he continued to maneuver the ship. "I can't keep this up much longer."

As if on cue, the shepherd's voice crackled over the ship's intercom, "Judy's in the engine room. M'bogo and I are here too. What do you need us to do?"

* * *

In the engine room, the cheetah's voice crackled over the intercom, "Judy, we're gonna need a full burn. Not right away. Just set it up."

Judy lay in a brightly colored hammock, her face tired and expressionless. She looked at the two larger mammals and asked, "You know where the press regulator is?" The cape buffalo stared at her blankly. The ram thought for a moment, then pointed at a panel. The bunny coughed, then smiled briefly, "Yep. That's it."

The shepherd carefully followed a sequence of instructions, then she announced on the intercom, "Ready for full burn... on your mark."

"Judy, how about a Crazy Ivan?" the cheetah's voice inquired.

"Sure," she replied, coughing again. "Sounds fun. Gimme a sec..."

Turning to the cape buffalo, she instructed, "M'bogo, open the port jet control. Cut the hydraulics." Noticing his blank expression, she continued, "Here... Right here... Where I'm pointing... Where he's pointing... Where we're both pointing... Yes, that's it. Now open the panel." He opened it, revealing a rat's nest of cables. Judy coughed again, then continued, "Sorry 'bout the mess, but it's actually really easy..."

* * *

In the bridge, the fox broke the silence. "They're getting closer."

The cheetah hit the intercom button. "Judy?" He continued maneuvering the ship as he waited for a response.

The bunny's voice finally crackled over the intercom, "Ready for an Ivan. Waiting for your mark for full burn."

The cheetah hit the button again. "Everyone hold onto something." Softly he whispered, "Here's something you can't do..."

His spotted paw pulled a red lever, then pushed it back. As he did so, the ship spun like a carnival ride. _Serenity_ now faced the pursuing vessel. The distance between them closed quickly. At the last minute, the cheetah steered slightly to avoid a collision with the larger vessel. "Now!" he shouted into the intercom.

Suddenly the cheetah was thrown back into his seat. The fox lost his grip, fell to the floor, and slid aftward as the ship accelerated, overwhelming the ship's artificial gravity system.

The ship steadied, and Nick stood up, his legs shaky. The view from the bridge showed the blackness of space. They had cleared the atmosphere.

"That was close," Benjamin said, his voice again cheerful. "But they aren't flying. I think our engine blast took them down. And we have just enough left to hit a fuel station. We got paid, right? Please tell me we got paid."

* * *

Later, in a small passenger stateroom, Jack tucked his sister into bed. She sobbed, "I didn't think you'd come for me."

"Well, then you're just a dumb bunny," he said, smiling. She hugged him desperately. "We'll find somewhere," he said, "somewhere safe."

She closed her eyes and whispered, "We're safe here, Johnny. The fox keeps us safe."

In the corridor outside, M'bogo stared at the closed stateroom door. Nick limped over and the cape buffalo grunted. "Those two bunnies are trouble. The weasel said the Alliance will keep looking for her. She's important to them. It's something about her brain."

"Good to know," Nick said. "So, what kind of deal did the weasel offer you?"

M'bogo sneered. "Money. Share of the reward. But Captain Wilde, I would never-"

"I know. And thank you. And thanks for everything you did back there."

Jack emerged from his sister's room, supporting his weight on crutches. M'bogo nodded to his captain, turned, and walked away. Nick headed in the other direction, towards the infirmary.

Noticing the captain's limp, the doctor spoke. "I should take a look at that."

Nick shrugged, "Yeah, I suppose so." He continued towards the infirmary, and Jack followed as quickly as he could. Nick looked at the two beds in the infirmary, where Judy and Sherani slept. Then he stepped over to the bench outside the infirmary, pulled down his torn, blood-stained trousers, and sat down.

Jack grabbed a trauma kit from the infirmary and hobbled over to the bench. He examined the wound and said, "You should have had me look at this earlier, but it isn't as bad as I expected. I bet it hurts like crazy, though."

Nick shrugged, and the doctor began treating the wound. After a few moments, Jack asked, "So, where are you going to dump us?"

Nick spoke slowly as the doctor worked. "Well, there aren't many places you'd be safe. Not for long anyway, the way the Alliance is hunting you. Look, what I'm trying to say is, ow, ow, AI-YIP!"

Both mammals paused, then Nick said, "I'm okay. Go ahead. Finish up." The doctor resumed treating the captain's wound. "And what I'm trying to say is, I think you're safer on the move. And we're always on the move."

The doctor continued his work without saying anything. The captain continued, "I mean, do we need a medic? Yes, yes we do. Obviously we do. And from what I've seen, we could do a lot worse than you."

Jack spoke deliberately. "Captain Wilde, my sister-"

"Naturally, your sister is welcome too."

Jack stared at the captain, his mouth open as if to speak. But no words came. Nick shrugged, feigning disinterest. "You know, until you find something better."

"It's just that Brooke, she said... something. It doesn't matter. Thank you, Captain. Thank you."

Neither of them spoke as the doctor finished treating the wound. He started bandaging it, and asked, "So, is this what it's like, out here on the Rim?"

Nick laughed. "Well, no. For one thing, things aren't usually this... interesting. Believe it or not, we usually try to avoid Alliance agents, and Howlers, and mammals like Bellwether. And for another, this isn't the Rim. These are just border worlds. Persephone's practically a central planet."

The doctor secured the bandage, and Nick said, "But don't worry, most of us need time to recuperate, so we'll lay low for a week or two before-"

"At least a month," Jack said. "Doctor's orders."

Nick smiled. "At least a month. Doctor's orders. Welcome aboard _Serenity_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter concludes the story. As I mentioned before, I've already started working on a sequel, based on the Firefly episode "The Train Job". And this time, I'm starting with the original premise of the Firefly episode, but letting the Zootopia characters take things in different directions.
> 
> I don't know what (if anything) will follow "ZTW2: The Train Job". At some point, I would very much like to do "Out of Gas", although that episode is going to be especially challenging. All the new Zootopia characters will need new backstories, and the plot of "Out of Gas" is very intricately structured with the interactions of the various timelines.
> 
> When I started "Zootopia That Was", the references I used indicated that Officer Fangmeyer was confirmed by the movie's creators to be a female tiger. Now, they say that the creators' comments confirmed only that Officer Fangmeyer is a tiger. There seems to be uncertainty and disagreement about which of the tiger officers is Officer Fangmeyer, and about whether Officer Fangmeyer is male or female. Furthermore, the movie and the related games/apps may not agree with each other. Regardless, in this crossover, Sherani Fangmeyer-Clawhauser is going to remain a female tiger.
> 
> Thanks for reading. I hope fans of both Zootopia and Firefly could enjoy "Zootopia That Was".


End file.
